Retrenchment a declaration of war on decent work - Nzimande

The City of Cape Town on Wednesday questioned Cosatu's protest against e-tolls - as part of a long list of demands - when the union federation's Western Cape arm did not support recent court action against Sanral's Cape toll plans.

The Western Cape High Court on September 30, in setting aside the SA National Roads Agency's plans to toll the N1 and N2 highways in the Cape Winelands, said it found it extraordinary that the Sanral board had no written proof of its decision to toll these freeways.

People getting off the trains at Cape Town station in drips and drabs, says Paul Herman.

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In Cape Town's CBD as well, thousands of workers will take part in the protest that is set to start in Keizersgracht Street, proceed down Darling Street into Adderley Street, turning left into Bureau/Spin Street and turning right into Plein Street to proceed to Parliament.

The return route will be via Roeland Street to Buitenkant Street, into Darling Street and back to Keizersgracht. Participants will then disperse from Keizersgracht.

The above-mentioned roads will be closed to traffic between 09:00 and 16:00. No parking will be allowed on the route either.

Protests have been planned for Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Cosatu's leaders will march to the offices of the premier in the Johannesburg CBD and the Chamber of Business, Eyewitness News reports.

Cosatu will embark on the "mother of all stay-aways" on Wednesday when it stages marches in all nine provinces to protest against higher taxes, e-tolls and job losses among other things burdening the working class.

The demonstrations coincide with the World Day for Decent Work.

Cosatu said its members will march and demonstrate in city centres all over the country against issues such as the deadlock on its demand to scrap e-tolls.

The union federation is also calling for a better transport system and is  demanding an immediate halt to pending retrenchments.Cosatu also wants Treasury to reject the proposals to increase VAT, Eskom to be held accountable for the delays in the building of the new power stations and the release of the white paper on the National Health Insurance.

The federation’s provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich said about 230 000 members of unions affiliated with Cosatu are expected to march in Cape Town.

However, the City of Cape Town said Cosatu obtained a permit for only 10 000 participants.